nuclear-news

The parliamentary budget officer’s latest analysis of the government’s spending estimates shows the Crown corporation will cost the public purse an additional $236-million this year, bringing the total to $362-million for 2013-14. The additional money is for AECL’s research and development program.

The federal budget watchdog says although Ottawa’s support for the troubled nuclear agency has decreased by 60 per cent over the last four years, the booked savings in terms of direct support for operations is misleading.

At the same time, AECL’s losses have ballooned: from $300-million in 2009-10 to $3-billion over the first three quarters of 2012-13.

“As a wholly-owned Crown corporation, the government of Canada is ultimately responsible for AECL’s liabilities,” the PBO points out.

Overall, the report calculates that the government will spend $1.1-billion more during the current fiscal year than what was contained in the main estimates issued in early March. That will bring spending for the 2013-14 fiscal year to about $253.6-billion…… http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/budget-watchdog-says-nuclear-agency-a-major-drain-on-public-purse/article11988610/